Some companies have people on staff that are so prolific with the writing and ideas for content on their site, they are channeling Stephen King without the creepy horror. But so often the content tapers off, even for us. I have been jotting down ideas that I come up with or collect from reading all over the next and looking at other sites, this is a list we pull from when clients, or even our own writers, get stuck.
- Announce any new product or special offer.
- The reasons your clients do business with you: this should provide a very long list of blog entries. Every single selling point about your company will make at least one article. Why small business is better, a price comparison (even why it is not worth it to go cheap), describe a new higher quality source you found for your product/service, or the reasons your products/service are higher quality (imported or made in USA, you buy in bulk and pass the savings on), all your work is done in house and not outsourced, and on and on.
- Employee profiles.
- In depth product reviews, one at a time.
- Buying guides for your products, or how to choose a provider guides for service industries.
- Share humorous office stories, or customer stories; get personal.
- Share customer testimonials with a guest writer, or repeat what you heard.
- answer a client question that has come up more than once (re-write your FAQ in your blog, one question at a time)
- News news news: any single news item that in any way relates to your industry: summarize it and share how it affects you, or your opinion.
- Company news: this covers more than you think on the surface. Anniversary, added a staffer, moved offices, got a new copier (ok I’m exaggerating there), but trivial is fine. Other ideas: Any charitable contributions or activities you or your staff are involved in, received an aware, new strategy, new behind the scenes software or improved efficiency, speaking at ANY event, conduct a survey and announce results, attending a seminar or further education of staff, new significant clients.
- Things to avoid, products to avoid, the negative spin on What Not to Do.
- Recommendations of companies you do business with: your web designer, your cellphone service.
- Look at your competitors. It is allowed and will spark your mind for ideas. also look at related sites that are not competitors but complementary.
- Make lists. Make Top Fives. Top Five mistakes you see. Top Five Sellers and why. Top Five trends.
Ideally your content is useful to your users, and increases their confidence in you. But sometimes it is also OK to just yammer about things when you get stuck, it will often keep you going and at least keep your content fresh. Then with the next article you’ll be back to adding significant value to your site again.
Tags: content for seo, content ideas